Once Upon A Dream
by sentencefragments
Summary: Once Upon A Time, in a faraway land lived a king and his fair queen. Many years had they longed for a child before their wish was granted. A beautiful princess was born and they named her Felicity. The kingdom rejoiced until the evil witch put a curse on the infant princess. To protect her, the princess was hidden away in the woods until she could return home on her 18th birthday.


Once Upon A Time, in a faraway land lived a king and his fair queen. Many years had they longed for a child before their wish was granted. A beautiful princess was born, with hair as gold as corn and eyes as blue as the sea. They named her Felicity, after the happiness that she brought to her parents and would bring to her people. A holiday was proclaimed throughout the kingdom in her name, so that all of high and low estate could bring homage to the infant princess.

On this day, King Robert of Starling and his son also attended, Both kings had long wished for their kingdoms to be united and as the announcement of the princess' betrothing to Prince Oliver would be made official the boy unknowingly looked on to his future bride.

That day, each of the three good fairies would grace the princess with an exquisite gift. The first; beauty rare. Gold of sunshine in her hair. Lips that shame the reddest rose. She'll walk with springtime wherever she goes. The second; the gift of song. Melody her whole life long. The nightingale's her troubadour. Bringing his sweet serenade to her door.

Before the last fairies could grant the princess her gift, the celebrations were rudely interrupted.

"Listen well, all of you." The evil witch had spoken, pounding her staff onto the marble floor. "The princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. But…"

The entire ballroom filled with people was silent as they watched in fear, the queen holding her baby daughter close to her.

"Before the sunset on her eighteenth birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel, and die."

She had cursed the innocent child before vanishing into thin air, her laughter echoing off the castle walls. The queen cried softly for her daughter's life, but luckily, the third good fairy still had a gift to grant the princess.

"Sweet princess, if through this wicked witch' trick, a spindle should your finger prick, a ray of hope there still may be in this, the gift I give to thee. Not in death, but just in sleep the faith the prophecy will keep. And from the slumber you will wake, when true love's kiss the spell will break."

For true love conquers all.

But, the kind still feared for his daughter's life and had every spinning wheel in the entire kingdom burned that same faithful day. Fearing that it still wouldn't be enough to keep the child safe, the king and queen watched with heavy hearts as the three good fairies took their most prized possession, their only child, into hiding, disappearing into the night.

* * *

 _seventeen years and three hundred sixty five days later_

It was magical, a feeling she'd never experienced before washing over her. A happy, warm, fuzzy high like she was floating on clouds. His warm hand on the small of her back as they glided across the ballroom, the music soft and tinkling. The heat radiated off of his strong, capable body as he lead her expertly, swaying to the melody of the violin without bumping into other dancing couples. With one hand, she held onto her skirts, the other in his firm grip, his calloused fingers pressed against her soft ones.

Her gaze met the bluest eyes she had ever seen, a sparkle in the azure p. She tried desperately to memorize every part of this mools that made her heart flutter. Her breath caught in her throat as he pulled her closer, mere inches separating them as they dancedan. This man that she'd never seen before but seemed so familiar. His sandy blonde hair, tanned skin and day-old stubble casting a shadow of wisdom and maturity across his face. He was gorgeous, and judging by the breadth of his shoulders, he was strong, too.

With a small smile curling up his lips he drew her even closer. Letting go of the soft sky-blue fabric of her ball gown, her hand coming to rest on his shoulder. His cologne infiltrated her nostrils and she felt a little dizzy. The smell was intoxicating. They were so close, closer than was appropriate for a courting couple, that's what she assumed they were because for some reason her memory was a bit fuzzy.

Their gazes never faltered, never, not even for one second, looked away from the other. It was mesmerizing, butterflies swirling around in her stomach. They kept getting closer, until their lips were a hair's breadth apart. All she had to do was reach up…

And then Felicity woke up from a loud banging noise. She jumped, her rusty bed creaking a little. Sighing, she realized it had all been a dream, once again. Losing count of how many times she had dreamed of her mysterious prince (she assumed he was a prince by the way he dressed. He had something royal about him, a poise, a certain grace and elegance) had been easier than realizing that her dream would never become reality. She had never been one to dream of the day her prince Charming would come -well, technically she did, but growing up with her Aunts she had learned that you had to work hard for the things you wanted in life, and stay away from strangers but that was another point- but she couldn't deny how nice it had felt being in his arms. When her heartbeat was almost back to normal, she got out of bed, slipping her feet into her slippers and walking out of her room and to the kitchen.

A Few pots and pans were scattered across the wooden floor, a squirrel's tail peeking out from under one of them. That must've been what had caused the noise, the little guy had tipped over the pile on the counter. With living in a small cabin in the woods, animals snuck in from time to time, nothing new. Carefully, Felicity lifted the pan off the tiny animal. The little thing was shaking, standing frozen in place. Putting the pan back on the counter, Felicity turned her attention to the terrified little squirrel, gently picking it up and petting it until the shaking stopped.

"There you go, boy. You're okay." She whispered as she put the animal on the windowsill. It shook its tail and ran off to a nearby tree. Felicity laughed and turned around to clean up the mess the animal had left behind when she spotted a note on the kitchen table. Her aunts had gone to the market for food and requested she gather some berries from the forest and a reminder not to talk to strangers.

Felicity chuckled and shook her head. After she put the pans away she tossed her scarf over her head and took her favorite basket. Locking the door behind her, humming to herself, daydreaming about her mysterious prince as she walked to her secret spot where all the good fruit was hidden.

She unknowingly caught the attention of a young man with her singing.

She had about a quarter of her basket filled with various berries, all while humming the tune she couldn't get out of her head, when she heard the twig snap behind her. She jumped and whirled around.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

With wide eyes, she took in the young man before her, stepping from behind the trees. He looked eerily familiar, but she couldn't quite place him. It was silly, she knew that. She couldn't have met him before, she would have remembered a face that handsome. She blushed a little at her inner-rambling and shook her head.

"It's not that. It's just that you… you're a…"

"A stranger?" He asked, walking closer, his smile growing more and more infectious.

Felicity nodded, grasping her basket a little tighter "Hmm-hmm."

The man chuckled softly. "But don't you remember? We've met before."

Confusion washed over her face, her eyebrows flying up towards her hairline. "We have?"

A little hesitant, he reached for her hand, relief on his face when she didn't immediately pulled away. "Well of course, you said it yourself. Once upon a dream."

Felicity's eyes widened as realization hit her and she pulled her hand free of his grasp, strangely saddened by the loss of contact. That's why he looked so familiar. He was the man she'd dreamed about countless times. The man who'd held her in his arms as he lead her across the marble of the ballroom floor. Tilting her head a little, she looked in his eyes, truly looking for the first time since he'd made his presence known and there they were. The same beautiful blue, seemingly endless pools that would make drowning a blessing. Swallowing hard, she blushed and looked away wearily before meeting his gaze again.

"Oh, it's you… it's actually you." She stammered, cheeks glowing red, a smile lighting up her face.

"And you." He said smiling.

With her basket in the crook of her elbow, Felicity reached for his outstretched hands.

"But how? How is this possible?" She asked.

"Fate? Destiny? I'm not quite sure but I'm so happy I found you. Ever since I first dreamed of you, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I've been searching for you everywhere, across the entire kingdom. I was about to give up and then I heard you sing."

Smiling, Felicity ducked her head to hide her blush. He let go of one of her hands to tilt her chin back up, a warm and gently smile on his face as he cupped her cheek.

"I have never heard a more enchanting sound in my entire life. Tell me, who are you? what's your name?"

He'd spoken so gently she shouldn't have jumped at the seemingly simple question but the warnings of her aunts rang through her head. Her eyes went wide and she pulled away from him on reflex.

"Oh…my name…it's…" It was like her throat closed off. Her aunts had made a point of never telling a stranger her name, ever. She couldn't betray their trust in her and expose herself to all the possible dangers.

"Oh no no no, I can't." She pulled her hands out of his hold and stepped away, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. It was wonderful to meet you, goodbye."

She saw his eyebrows knit together in confusion, his hands still outstretched before she turned around to hurry home.

"Wait! Where are you going? Will I ever see you again?" He took a few steps in her direction, following her over the secret pathway she always used.

"Oh never, I'm sorry." She called, speeding up her pace a little.

"Never?"

"Well, maybe someday." She said, looking over her shoulder and seeing his heartbroken face. She was about to do something unbelievably irresponsible but she couldn't help herself. She'd dreamed about this man so many times and she couldn't and wouldn't let him slip through her fingers.

"When? Tomorrow?" He asked as she turned around. He closed the distance between them, reaching for her hand. Felicity shook her head, readjusting her scarf around her head.

"This evening, at the old woodcutter's cottage in the glen."

And with that, she was gone, hurrying home to discover she had been lied to for the past eighteen years. She wasn't just a normal peasant girl with overprotective parental guardians, she was a princess whose parents were desperately waiting for her to come home. Which was happening today, on her eighteenth birthday, and she would never get to see the man of her dreams again. In a whirl of anger and disappointment she rushed up to her bedroom, completely disregarding the birthday cake and the beautiful dress her aunts had made her, the one she'd been wearing in her dreams.

Later that evening, she was ushered to the castle in her new dress, hidden by a heavy cloak and the shroud of darkness that the setting sun brought. She was still very much upset, but she knew what she had to do. Her parents must have missed her so, and she wouldn't be the one bringing them more pain.

She looked around her with wide eyes as they entered the extravagantly decorated bedroom. She had never seen so much gold and gemstones and luxurious furniture in one place. One of her aunts sat her down in front of the expertly crafted vanity, with rubies and emeralds and lapis lazuli embedded in the gold around the mirror, catching what was left of the light in the room as her aunts made sure the room was secured. The door was locked and the drapes were pulled shut all to protect her from the evil witch. They were gentle with her, knowing how upset she was. A light touch on the shoulder here or a stroke over her hair as they bustled around the room. Felicity sighed heavily, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at herself in the mirror but she quickly blinked them away.

Felicity turned around as a small hand fell to her shoulder, her aunts smiling gently at her as they pulled their wands out of their sleeves.

"This one last gift, dear child for thee, a symbol of thy royalty."

Her aunts waved around their wands and she watched with wide eyes as a glittering tiara appeared out of thin air, gently floating towards her and settling on top of her head. Felicity swallowed and turned around to look at herself in the mirror.

It was like a lump got stuck in her throat and she couldn't breathe. She had never seen herself like this, dolled up like… well… like a princess. The truth about her ancestry was becoming all too real.

"We'll give you some time alone." Her aunt Flora said softly, a hand stroking over her long blond hair. Her aunts always knew exactly what she needed, like a sixth sense. Now that she knew the truth, she figured it made sense they had a built in feelings detector. Closing her eyes, Felicity took a deep breath, thinking about the man she'd met only a few hours ago. She felt awful for standing him up and she feared she'd never see him again. She was betrothed to a prince and not to marry a peasant boy she'd met in the woods. And she didn't even know his name. With a shuddering breath, she lowered her head onto her arms on the vanity and let her tears flow freely.

That was the last thing she remembered.

* * *

Consciousness came to her slowly, like she was drifting to the surface of the ocean carried by a bed of clouds. Her lips felt tingly, a sensation she'd never felt before. Her heart beating sure and steady, swelling at the sight before her when her eyes fluttered open. The man she'd been dreaming about sitting on the edge of her bed. He was breathing heavily, a shadow of exhaustion, three day old stubble and a little sweat falling over his face. He was looking at her expectantly, blue eyes lighting up when he saw her awaken.

Felicity smiled softly. "It's you." She whispered.

He smiled. "And you, princess."

Slowly, she sat up. "I can explain. I didn't even know, myself…"

Holding up a hand to stop her, he shook his head before taking her hand in his. "No need, I haven't exactly been truthful to my betrothed either."

Felicity's brows drew close in confusion. Her lips parted and closed again as it dawned on her.

"You're Prince Oliver, the man I'm supposed to wed." She spoke softly.

He nodded. "And you're Princess Felicity, the woman I've been engaged to since I was five."

Felicity blushed a little and chuckled. "This is all a bit absurd. Yesterday I had no idea my life was going to be turned upside down this way."

"Felicity… You don't remember what happened, do you?" Oliver asked, taking her other hand in his as well, drawing her closer.

"That what happened?" She asked.

Oliver sighed in deliberation. "Your birthday was five days ago. Somehow, the evil witch go to you before the sun set that day and you pricked your finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel. I went to the woodcutter's cottage that night and she ambushed me, keeping me locked up for three days until the three fairies found me. I defeated her and immediately came her to break the spell."

Felicity was staring at him with a mixture of horror and disbelief and worry on her face. She pulled a hand out of his grasp and cupped his cheek.

"You risked your life to save me."

He smiled softly. "There was no choice to make, Felicity."

And then she was reaching for him, pressing her lips to his and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. One of his hands moved to her back, hauling her towards him, the other gently cupping the back of her head. It took a while for both of them to move, enjoying each other's closeness and affection, but once again, Oliver was the one to break the spell.

"Will you go with me? Your parents are very eager to meet you." He whispered when they parted for air.

Felicity nodded and let him help her out of bed. With a hand in the crook of his elbow, they headed down the stairs towards the ballroom. She couldn't believe her eyes when she spotted the familiar marble floors and extravagant decorations. It had been just like in her dreams. They were announced like the true royalty they were and slowly walked across the room towards her parent's throne. Oliver bowed before the king and queen and she quickly followed his example with a curtsy.

Before she was even upright again her mother had rushed forward and hauled her into a hug, wrapping her arms around her daughter so tightly Felicity thought she was never going to let go. Her father joined them, putting an arm around her and her mother and gently stroking her hair.

"Oh how we missed you so." Her father said quietly.

Her mother had tears in her eyes as she pulled back, reaching up to stroke her daughter's cheek. She smiled as she looked over Felicity's shoulders.

"Go on, sweetheart." She whispered, gesturing to Oliver. Felicity turned to look at him. He sent her a sweet smile before bowing again, this time to her.

"May I have this dance, your highness?" He asked.

Smiling, Felicity nodded before turning back to her parents for one last quick hug. She picked up her skirts and took Oliver's hand, letting him lead her to the center of the dance floor. The violin music picked up and they were gliding across the marble. Just like in her dreams.

"What are the chances…" She said softly, looking up into Oliver's blue eyes. "That I dream about you almost every night, meet you in person on my birthday and you turn out to be the man I'm betrothed to. How is that possible?"

Oliver shrugged and leaned closer. "Fate? Destiny? I'm not quite sure but I'm so happy I found you."

She chuckled, letting Oliver twirl her. Felicity felt like she was walking on clouds, the warm fuzzy feeling welling up in her heart, butterflies making her stomach do cartwheels as they danced.

"I know it's probably quite ridiculous since we're already engaged to be married, but…" Oliver whispered in her ear as he held her close, probably too close to be appropriate but she didn't really care.

"Yes?" She answered, grinning from ear to ear.

"Felicity, will you marry me?" He asked.

Leaning her forehead against his, staring into those beautiful blue pools she smiled.

"Nothing would make me happier." She whispered. Oliver grinned, put both hands on either side of her waist and lifted her up in the air, twirling her around. Their laughter echoed from the ballroom walls and would echo throughout the entire castle for many years to come.

And they lived happily ever after.

 _fin_


End file.
